We’ve gone mobile and there’s no turning back.

Yesterday was my birthday. I didn’t have to work, I ate cake, and the cats didn’t pee on anything.

I consider that a damn good day.

But after yesterday I’m convinced that we’re moving far away from desktop social networks into the land of smartphones and tablets.

Why?

Last year, 52 people wrote on my Facebook timeline for my birthday. This year only 14 did.

Now, I know I am a crusty, curmudgeonly young man. But I don’t think I scared off THAT many people.

So, what caused the difference? I know my friends were on Facebook. I saw hundreds of photos of friends with presents, pets and their families.

But how we access the social network is changing rapidly. Two years ago we opened up our laptops and saw the entire cornucopia of information on the Facebook homepage. Now we just see the latest in a string of updates on our mobile phones and tablets.

People have become blind to the content outside of news feeds. Where we used to inspect every part of a webpage, we now look for the most relevant thing in an endless stream of content.

And things like birthdays, which lose meaning when 52 people you barely know write three words followed by an exclamation point, get pushed out of the way for that news stream.

So, I’m not too sad my birthday has gone missed by Facebook this year. It’s the natural evolution of things to come.

Now, let’s all gather round the Christmas tree in the soft, comforting glow of our iPads and iPhones.